Trying to start 64 C-10 project

[Dads64]

I have an opportunity to get the 1964 C-10 truck my Great-Grandfather bought new in 64. The truck had been well used by him on the farm, and parked over for 10 years at my Dad's. I would like nothing more than to do a frame-up restore to stock with few upgrades. Problem is I don't have a shop or much skill to tackle this. The engine and transmission would need to be replaced. The body is good for the most part. I know I'd miss out on the experience, but are there shops that do restorations in full or part? Thanks for any suggestions.

[markeb01]

This may be more answer than you were asking for, but here’s my thoughts having spent the better part of 50 years restoring and building street rods. There are any number of shops that specialize in the restoration of older vehicles, however it can be difficult to find a reliable, honest shop that does good work at a fair price, and meets their commitments regarding completion schedules. Ask any hot rodder/street rodder or restorer that’s been around a while, and they will all have a horror story or two to share. Almost everyone knows of a situation where the customer left his vehicle at a shop for over a year, nothing got done (or got worse), or parts were stolen, or it took the sheriff or a court order to recover their vehicle, etc. There are also great reliable honest shops around, but both the good and bad are very expensive. Good shops cost a lot because they pay good employees to do good work and have overhead to consider. Bad shops can cost a lot more than wasted payments that don’t produce results. If you choose to have a professional (or even a backyard specialist) do the restoration, research everything about them you can. Look at their work, how many vehicles are being worked on, how are the customers vehicles are treated, how secure is the facility, talk to previous customers, etc.

If the truck is “well used”, perhaps a more fruitful approach would be to tackle smaller projects one at a time yourself, as time and resources allow. Start with things like brakes and getting it running - even if the engine/trans need to be replaced. This will provide experience in mechanics and give you a better idea of the overall condition. Once it does run, try to keep the scope of every project small, so it can be completed over a weekend (or a couple of weekends). It is far easier to remain enthusiastic about a self-propelled vehicle than a disassembled pile of parts.

Then do an assessment of what you think it needs, get online and figure out how much that is going to cost. Add in every little thing you can imagine, and when you arrive at the final figure – double it. That will be closer to what it will actually cost. This is a constant in restoration as dependable as gravity. It’s important to have a reasonable understanding of the cost and effort involved, because things like family and living conditions come in to play when restoring a vehicle. If you’re married or have kids, try to get and keep them involved. A restoration can be a source of mutual pride and enjoyment, or friction, irritation and divorce.

Also try to set realistic expectations of what you want the truck to be when it’s finished, and consider how you will be using it. Will it be a show truck, or something you proudly drive to a local truck gathering, or perhaps use to take grass clippings to the dumps? When it comes to cosmetic restoration, the closer you get to perfection the higher the cost. Rust repair, paint, and chrome plating are more expensive than anything else and can derail the project without a good grip on expenses.

If you choose to attempt restoration yourself, buy the 1964 Chevy truck factory shop manual, and the factory assembly manual is also a great source of information. Join “all” of the online truck forums that specialize in these vehicles. Each site has its own experts and you cannot have too much free information. Just listen to what makes sense and use what is helpful.

Before disassembling anything, buy an inexpensive digital camera (if you don’t already have one) and photograph “everything”. These photographic documents will become invaluable when it comes time to put anything back together. Create a computer file and download pictures often. When it comes to disassembling anything, buy a generous supply of different size ziplock baggies, and write what everything is and where it goes with a felt marker directly on the bag. If something is too big for a baggie, identify the part, what it does and where it goes directly on the item with a felt marker. Keep everything until the truck is back together. You’ll discover not all reproduction parts are exactly the same as original. Frequently, you have to reuse the original part because the new one doesn’t fit correctly.

So in summary, make a realistic plan with a budget, take baby steps first, document everything, ask lots of questions, have a lot of patience, and this can be a rewarding and enjoyable pursuit that becomes an integral part of your life. If you can’t afford to do this now, get the truck and hold on to it. A few years down the road you may be better equipped financially, or have better working facilities. I love truck builds with family history. Good luck!

[harryb]

Markeb01, that is GREAT advice. I started my '65 project pickup in August of 2003, and am almost finished. I was fortunate enough to get advice very similar to yours, and have tried to follow it as best as I could. I've got some basic mechanical skills to do a lot of the work, but I didn't feel confident enough to tackle some of the tasks, so I've paid to have them done. The time required by the skilled shops has been more than anticipated, but I couldn't do them myself. The overal cost of the project is about twice what I was expecting. I hope to have it finished by year-end, (that's 7+ years).

[Dads64]

Guys, thanks for the encouragement. Markeb01, that was just the right amount of information. That makes perfect sense to ease into the project and I can see where it would be less overwhelming. Thank you very much for taking the time to respond in the way you did. That has really set my mind to get this project rolling. I'm starting this weekend by cleaning out an old workshop that's been turned into a storage room. Thanks alot!